Device for operating headlights.



F. A. HAMM. nmcn r011 OPERATING HEADLIGHTS. A-PPLIOATION FILED MAY 29. 1908. 91 1,394, Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

THE NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON. c.

rannaaiox ANDREW HAMM, or CLEAN, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING HEADLIGHTS.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application filed. m 29, 19 8". Serial No. 435,757.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, Fnnnnnrox A. HAMM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olean, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Headlights, of which the following is a specification,

My invention relates. to improvements in automatically adjustable headlights for street cars and similar vehicles, and the object ofthe inventionis to provide a simple, durable, economical and efficient construction, by which the headlight may be automatically deflected the desired amount upon rounding curves.

The invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

I have illustrated the invention in connection with a sufficient portion of astreet car to illustrate its mode of application in the accompanying drawings.

in these drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of such portion of the car with the headlight and the operating connection applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detail views.

Referring by reference characters to these drawings, the numeral lO designates a body of the car, 11 the headlight, and 12 the front swinging truck.

To the front ends of the beams 13 of'the car body I secure a base plate 13*, on which is mounted a cylindrical box 14, which is provided with a centralopening for the passage of a screw or bolt by which said box is secured to the said plate. The bottom of the box is provided with an annular depression or groove for the reception of antifriction balls and is provided with a screw cover 15. \Vithin the box is located a cylin- 1 drical bearing plate 16, which has an annular recess 16 in its underside corresponding to theannular'recess-l l", the two con-- stituting a ball race for the reception of the antifriction balls 17, which permit the bearing plate 16 to rotate freely and without friction. This bearing plate 16 has an an nular flange 18 projecting from its upper surface which is preferably provided with interior screw threads as shown to permitv the detachable connection of the lower threaded portion 19 of a cross head 20,

which is provided with a threaded socket of the lower novelty is ating rods.

ends 33 separate 21 on-its upper side. This socket is designed to permit the detachable connection end of the post 22 which has the said lower end threaded to engage the threaded socket 21. Thesaid box and cross head are preferably. housed within a casing 24, which may conveniently be made in the shape of an inverted metal box, and which designed for the purpose of excluding dust and dirt from the working parts. This b x is preferably provided with an upwardly extending annular flange .25 surrounding the opening through which the post passes and the post has an annular rib 26 overlapping this flange and forming a dust excluding joint. The post is threaded at its upper end as shown at 27 to engage the threaded socket 28 which carries suitable means for engaging or holding the headlight. This holding means may be of any, suitable shape and adapted to engage the headlights ordinarily in use. As no claimed for the particular man.- ner of connecting, the headlight to the socket piece, I have shown for purposes of illustration a single upwardly projecting wedge shaped bracket or tongue 29 engaging a socket 30 on the back of the headlight 11.

The ends of the arms 20 of the cross head are provided with holes or perforations 20 designed to permit the detachable connection of the forked ends of the oper- The operating rods are shown I prefer. to make the said forked from the main portions of the rods and connect them by -a yielding at 32, and

sliding joint. The desired form of joint is shown in the drawings, each forked head or end33 having a tubular socket portion 33*, which receives the reduced end 32 of the rod 32, which is held in the socket by a transverse pin 34: engaging slots 35. A spring 36 encircles the reduced portion 32 outside of the socket between the end of the socket and the shoulder 32 and tends to keep the parts extended to the limit allowed by the pin and slot connection. The rods extend through the rear wall of the casing and are carried back and connected to the truck frame member or bolster. A desirable form ofconnection is to provide screw bolts 37 which are screwed into the front side of the frame member. Each bolt has pivoted thereto an eye piece or closed hook 38, which is designed to receive an eye 39 on the rear end of the rod 32, the

, portion of this eye which engages the hook being preferably provided with an antifriction roller 40. The front bar 38 of the hook or eye 38 is preferably curved and this curve, together With the pivoted connection 38 of the hook 88 to the bolt 3'? permits vertical play between the truck and rod. This is extremely desirable owing to the vertical movement of the truck due to the passage of the Wheels over uneven places in the track or obstacle thereon, reducing liability of breaking the connecting rods to a minimum. The upper end of the curved portion 38 is formed separate from the side 38 and the hook or loop is preferably formed of spring material so that the two meeting portions may be separated suiticiently to permit the eye 39 of the rod to be sprung into place. Each rod is preferably guided in a hanger 4E1, in the shape of a hook having a screw portion 41 designed to be screwed into the underside of the car body and having on the lower side thereof a flat space 42 sufli'ciently Wide to permit the lateral movement of the rod due to the swinging of the truck in relation to the car body in rounding curves.

From the foregoing thought the operation of my improved device will be obvious, and it sufiices to say that when the car is running upon a straight track the headlight will be pointed straight ahead, while in rounding curves the push upon the rod 011 one side and the pull of the rod upon the other side through the cross head will turn the headlight to keep the light focused upon the curved stretch of track immediately preceding th'e car.

During the day time when the light is not needed and in fact may not be carried upon the front of the car, the rods if desired may be disconnected from the books 38 and simply supported by the hangers 41. The springs at the forward end of the rods will description it is prevent undue shocks or ed to the headlight.

Having thus described my invention what I claim isz- 1. In combination with a car body, a support for a headlight rotatably carried at the front thereof and having cross arms, rods having their front ends yieldingly connected to the cross arms and extending dirertly to the truck frame and securing clips on the truck frame having are shaped portions slidably engaging the rear ends of the rods, substantially as described.

in combination with a car body, a headlight support rotatably mounted at the front thereof, cross arms connected therewith, rods having telescoping front ends connected with said cross arms, springs associated with said telescoping ends, guides for the rods depending from the car body having elongated horizontal bearing portions and flexible connections between the rear ends of the rods and the truck frame, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a car body or the like, a cylindrical box carried at the front. thereof, having a removable cover, a cylindrical bearing plate rotatably mounted within the box, a cross head having a part extending through the cover of the box and detachably connected to the said cylindrical bearing plate, operating rods ext ending between the cross head and the truck frame, a post having a detachable connection with the cross head and a headlight supporting member detachably connected to the top of the post, substantially as de 'irihed.

in testimony whereof, I a hix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED. AND inlV ll A M M. lVitnesses Cims. H. Rarrmrrr, PATRICK S. COLLINS.

jolts being impart- 

